Pneumatic means for feeding cementitious materials



March 2, 1965 M. H. GILLESPIE, JR 3,171,693

PNEUMATIC MEANS FOR FEEDING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS Filed June 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS March 2, 1965 M. H. GILLESPIE, JR 3,171,693

PNEUMATIC MEANS FOR FEEDING CEMEN'FITIOUS MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1962 MERL H. G/LLEsPIE, JR.

g me 1w J n/112w ATTORNEYS March 1965 M. H. GILLESPIE, JR 3, 7

PNEUMATIC MEANS FOR FEEDING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 15, 1962 I NVEN TOR United States Patent PNEUMA'EIQ MEANS Fill-l G CElvlEN'El'llllU l /lA'l'EltlAlLEl Merle l1. Gillespie, E22, 9% Parker Ave,

Falls Qhureh,

Filed June 15, 1952, Ser. No. 2%,881 8 Qlalms. {'Cl. 3il2- t9) The present invention relates to pneumatic means for feeding material, such as cementitious materials and the like containing abrasive elements from a reservoir to various predetermined locations.

The continuous feeding pneumatically of abrasive containing materials, such for example as ccmentitious abrasive containing mixtures has long been a problem, because of the damaging sheets of such abrasive containing mixtures on the conveying or feeding equipment. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel efiicient and durable apparatus for the continuous feed of such abrasive mixtures from a location at atmospheric pressure in a continuous cycle to a pressurized chamber for ejection through suitable conduit means to a point of use.

Another object is to p ovide a machine for continuous pneumatic feed of mat 'al adapted to operate from a single drive means requiring no manual control levers, valves or other usual controls once the material is placed in the machines feed hopper.

A further object is to provide a novel pneumatic material feeding machine, whereby the body of the machine is sealed airtight at all joints, bearings and like connections to prevent the pressurizing air supplied into the machine from escaping from the machine into the ambient atmosphe'e, thereby eliminating highly destructive sand blasting actions of the abrasive mixture at the joints, bearings like connections of the machine.

Still another object s to provide in a pneumatic feeder apparatus for abrasive containing material, such as cementltious material, a novel chambered rotor below a feed hopper, whereby the chambered rotor during turning operation receives material from the iced hopper into the pressure sealed area of the rotor continuously With the direction of pressurized feed of the material throughout each cycle of rotation of the rotor.

Another object is to provide a novel pressurized liquid seal in the machine housing of the feeder apparatus at each end of the rotor, whereby the internal rotor pressures and the material outlet pressures are counterbalanced by the respective pressurized liquid seals in the housing at each end of the rotor.

Yet another object is to provide pneumatic material feeding mac 'nes having air exhaust arrangements for diverting such exhaust air into the material feed hopper, whereby such exhaust air agitates the material in th hopper, while excess air escapes to atmosphere.

A further object i to provide a novel hopper feed for pneumatic material feeders, whereby various color mixtures may be selectively supplied to the rotor chambers and independently distributed in separate channels from the rotor chambers.

The above and other obiects and adva tages or" the invention will appear more full 1' from a consideration of the detail d descr tion which follows, taken with the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illust ated.

in the drawin s, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is elevation view of one end of the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section view taken on section line 22 of FEGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the drive mechanism for ice the machine in elevation partly in section at the top thereof; and

FIGURE 4 is a front side elevational View of the machine showing the multiple compartments of the hopper for selective material feed of different mixtures to the rotor.

Referring in detail to the pneumatic feeding machine and first with particular reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, the same comprises a hopper ll} containing material mixtures to be continuously supplied in one of a plurality of chambers 12 formed in a rotor ll in a housing l3. The

rotor extends longitudinally below the discharge section or" the hopper and may contain eight material receiving chambers, although the rotor may have any number of uch receiving chambers. The rotor, for example, may be a casting and as a result of the formation of the chambers provide divisional spoke-like side walls 14 each terminal end thereof having a vertical milled slot 35. Each slot contains a spring, such as serpentine spring it; at the bottom thereof and a superimposed fluid seal means, such as elongated rubber seal strips 1% bonded to metal supporting and pressure distribution device E7.

The rotor is journalled to revolve in the housing 13. The housing is formed with an opening 1) at the top below the discharge outlet of the hopper and which housing is formed with a diametrically opposite opening at the bottom for discharge of pressurized material from the several rotor chambers as they successively become positioned opposite the bottom opening 26 Each end of the rotor is formed with an aligned concentric socket 22 and 23 and each respective socket has keyed therein a respective drive shaft 2 and 25, see FEGURE 2.

Each drive shaft extends beyond the respective opposite ends of the lions 3.3. The housing at each end is counterbored or to used with a flanged bell portion 27 and a relatively smaller bore section 5, which is engaged by the elongated sealing strips 13 in the respective ends of the spoke-like rotor walls 3.4-. An end plate 3% and 31 having central openings for its respective drive shaft is suitably secured, as by bolts 32 and 33 and 3d and 35 to each opposite end of the rotor. Each end plate is formed with a cut-out portion to provide a shoulder 37 for an annular packing 3% and an Q-ring 3% compressible between the end plate shoulder 37 and a shoulder 41 formed in t e bell portion 27 of the housing 15. Each of these rotor end plates and 31 are formed with concentrically radial openings 62, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, as and positioned to each open into one of the rotor chambers 12 to permit pressuri ing medium to flow into each chamber as it becomes aligned with a pneumatic feed conduit or pipe 61 as hereinafter explained.

The rotor end plates 35 and 33 are rotatable with the rotor and against the exterior surface of each respective end plate is a thrust plate El and $2. These thrust plates are identical and are each formed with an axially centered bore 53 for its respective drive shaft 24 and 2.5 and on the inner face adjacent the peripheral rim thereof, said thrust plates are formed with radially spaced packing rooves and 55 for mounting seal means, such as O-rings S5 and 57. Also, at the rower-most portion of each of the thrust plates 51 and 52. between the Q-rings is a threaded bore into which is threadedly engaged the end so of air intake pipes or conduits as.

The bell portions 27 at each end of the housing are sealed closed by dish-shaped cover plates 62 with a central bore for a respective drive shaft 2-4 or 25 and each cover is formed with a peripheral annular flange 64 formed with an annular packing groove as, which surfaces against the face of flange '67 of adjacent bell portion 27 of housing 13. These flanges are sealed against the outside air or the escape of iiuid from Within the bell portion by an U-ring as in the groove 65. The cover plates at each end of the housing 13 are identical and are provided with a plurality of thrust plate adjusting bolts 68, preferably eight for maintaining each respective thrust plate in fluid tight engagement with an adjacent rotor end plate. Also, the cover plate members are each formed with a threaded bore 70 for a threaded pipe nipple 71 with fluid seal packing rings 72 and 73, see FIGURE 2. Through the smooth bore 70 of each of the pipe nipples 71 extends one of the air feed con duits or pipes 61, to thereby properly align the outlet ends of each of said pipes for discharge into the rotor chambers 12, as the rotor 11 revolves with predetermined charges of the cementitious mixture supplied thereto by the hopper. Such feeding of air into a rotor chamber pressurizes the contents and the same is discharged therefrom under pressure into the venturi outlet means 69 at the bottom opening of the housing 13.

Each bell portion 27 with the dished cover plate 62 suitably secured thereto, as by bolts 72 extending through the flanges 64 and 67 forms an end oil chamber, which oil chamber is preferably filled with oil through a filler plug 110. Air under pressure may be fed into the respective bell portions at each end of the housing 13 through a branch pipeline 74 and controlled by a manual valve 75, if desired. Also the oil in the end sections of the housing may be drained at plug 76, if it should become necessary to clean or repair the machine.

The venturi outlet means 69 has a side wall thereof connected to a branch air feed line 78, see FIGURE 1, which arrangement may be used to increase the air pressure and discharge velocity of the material from the delivery lines connected to the small end of the venturi.

The exhaust air or air pressure which occurs in each of the unloaded rotor chambers 12 is utilized on the upstroke or return stroke of the rotor 11. For example, a portion of such exhaust air is diverted upward with each upward travelling chamber and exhausts into the materials hopper 10 through exhaust holes drilled in piping 86 attached to rotor housing 13 (see FIGURE 2). Valve 87 allows proper exhaust air bump to be applied to hopper materials, and excess air pressure is expelled to atmosphere through a piped T (not shown). This novel action serves to continuously agitate the material as it feeds downward from the hopper through the feed opening 19 into the rotor chambers 12.

Each drive shaft 24 and rotates in a sealed bearing 80 and to effect a still more perfect seal a rotary shaft seal comprising a spring 81 and a packing 82 is mounted around each shaft between the thrust plate and the inner surface of the cover plate 62. The cover plate at this location may be formed with a recess 83 to receive the packing ring 82.

The air lines comprising the pipes or conduits 61 lead from a source of air pressure, not shown, and there are branch air lines such as 78 above described, and shown in FIGURE 1, and branch lines 85 shown in FIGURE 2, which are piped to the same air pressure source as pipe or conduits 61 and air line '78. This results in equal air pressure at all times in pressurized rotor segments 12 and venturi outlet 69. By opening valves 75 the same air pressure is also exerted onto the oil filled end chambers, as above described. Internal air pressures in rotor segments 12 are therefore neutralized by opposing oil pressures of each end chamber, which then makes impossible any air escapement, thus eliminating completely any abrasive sand blast action common in pneumatic feeding devices as exist today.

Now referring to FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings, the machine is made to provide continuous high efficiency performance with a minimum of manual effort. For example, the drive shaft 25 of the rotor 11 of the machine may have keyed thereto a sprocket 9119. The rotor shaft 25 is driven by any suitable power means, not shown, and the teeth of the sprocket 90 engage with an endless loop sprocket chain 91. The chain 91 is looped around two idler sprockets 92 and 94 arranged in the shown pattern in FIGURE 3. For example, sprockets 92 and 94 have stub shafts 95 and 96 adjustably mounted in slotted arcuate brackets 97 and 98, respectively, in each side of the main drive sprocket 90 to provide for chain tensioning and sprocket 93 is suitably keyed to a shaft 10%, which extends across the bottom of the feed hopper 1t) and actuates the hopper feed compartments 1%, 102 and 103, shown in FIGURE 4.

The hopper 10 may be divided into compartments 104, 1&5 and 1% and mixtures of different kinds and colors may be selectively dispensed from each hopper section into an underlying rotor chamber. The feed compartments of the hopper are arranged to be alternately discharging, so as to selectively fill a rotor chamber when different kinds or colors of material are to be used. However, when one mixture of material only is being supplied the same may be loaded into all compartments of the hopper without selectivity.

The opening 19 is defined with beveled edges 111, which provides the means of re-alignment of sealing rubbers 18 activated by springs 16, back into the exact configuration of interior bore diameter of housing 13. Thus, on each half revolution of rotor 11 each of the eight spring loaded sealing devices is allowed to flex outward slightly, while passing across openings 19 and 2t) and are then upon reentering housing 13 automatically forced back into a sealing plane by the top and bottom beveled edges. Such edges are made a part of the housing 13, see FIGURE 1. This novel action prevents sealing device 18 from sticking or loosing its sealing capacity under adverse conditions of the type of materials fed. It also allows proper scaling effect until edges of 18 are worn out by action of spring 16, thus providing long operating life before replacement is necessary.

The leveling device 111 shown in FIGURE 1 provides a means of striking off to a desired level the materials being fed into each rotor section 12 from hopper 10, thus preventing crushing action between seals 18 and the re-entrance area of housing 13.

Operation To operate the machine materials are placed in the hop per 10 and the chain and sprocket drive for the rotor 11 is started. The materials fall by gravity from the hopper 10 and into the chambers 12 of the rotor, which is now revolving in the housing 13.

As the rotor revolves each chamber 12 becomes a fluid sealed material chamber and conducts the material therein around to the bottom of the machine where it becomes suddenly pressurized by air supplied through the end plate opening aligned with the open end of air supply pipes 61 at each end of the rotor. This air pressure and its velocity of fiow removes the material from the rotor chamber downwardly into the venturi 69.

In the process of falling into the venturi from the rotor the discharged materials may be forced into the funnel-like opening of the venturi by additional high velocity air supply from the branch line 78 coming in at the back of the venturi. This forces the material into suitable delivery hose means, not shown, secured to the reduced end of the venturi.

As the material is forced from each successive rotor chamber into the venturi, there is created some back pressure in the direction of the upward rotation of the new empty rotor chambers on this side of the rotor, and such back pressure air exhaust flows upward out of housing, through opening 115 into piping 86 and is fed into the bottom of the hopper 10, to thereby agitate the material in the mouth of the hopper and prevent caking or impacting of the material as it feeds into each rotor chamber being loaded.

When feeding selected different materials from the hopper ltl, each compartment is selectively loaded with a particular kind of material and the discharge means of feed compartments 101, 102 and 103 are so arranged and proportioned as to drop materials in predetermined selected amounts into only one rotor chamber 12 at a time. In feeding diiferent materials all that is required is that each compartment has only one type, color or kind of mixture therein;

Without further description it is believed that the present invention is clearly understandable to others authoiized to practice the same. While only one emhodh ment of the invention is described and illustrated in detail, it is to be expressly understood that other coinbina= tions, modifications and arrangements of the parts which will now probably occur to others skilled in the art are to be considered a part hereof. To determine the scope of the present invention, reference should be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof comprising a gravity feed hopper, a fluid sealed housing with a top and a bottom opening, said housing having sealed bell portions at each end, a rotor formed with a plurality of annular chambers, said rotor having end plates on each end formed with a plurality of air inlet openings adjacent each rotor chamber, said chambers being filled with material from the hopper through said top housing opening, a thrust plate sealed against the exterior surface of each rotor end plate, each of said thrust plates having an opening adjacent the peripheral bottom edge thereof, a pneumatic pipe end threaded into said thrust plate opening, said pipe end being in open alignment successively with an adjacent opening in an end plate of the rotor as said rotor is revolved, to thereby pressurize each successive rotor chamber when positioned over the bottom housing opening, an end cover plate sealed to said bell portion of the housing, rotor drive shafts extending through said bell portions at each end of the housing, said respective shafts being journalled in sealed bearings, said bell portions each being filled with liquid lubricant, branch air lines feeding into each bell portion for pressurizing said liquid lubricant, and fluid seal means between all interconnecting plates and said rotor shafts.

2. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof, as described in claim 1, wherein there is provided means for adjusting the thrust of said respective thrust plates with respect to said respective rotor end plates.

3. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof, as described in claim 1, wherein there is provided valve means for controlling the supply of air from said pneumatic pipe end in said thrust plate, and second valve means for controlling the flow of air from said branch air line feeding into each sealed bell portion of the housing.

4. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof, as described in claim 1, comprising, in addition, a valve shaft rotatably mounted in said hopper and valve means operatively connected to said shaft.

5. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof comprising a gravity feed hopper, a fluid sealed housing with a top and a bottom opening, said housing having sealed bell portions at each end, a rotor formed with a plurality of annular chambers, said rotor having end plates on each end formed with a plurality of air inlet openings adjacent each rotor chamber, said chambers being filled with material from the hopper through said top housing opening, a thrust plate sealed against the exterior surface of each rotor end plate, each of said thrust plates having an opening adjacent the peripheral bottom edge thereof, a pneumatic pipe end threaded into said thrust plate openings, said pipe end being in open alignment successively with an adjacent opening in an end plate of the rotor as said rotor is revolved, to thereby pressurize each successive rotor chamber when positioned over the bottom housing opening, an end cover plate sealed to said bell portion of the housing, rotor drive shafts extending through said bell portions at each end of the housing, said respective shafts being journalled in sealed bearings, said bell portions each being filled with liquid lubricant, branch air lines feeding into each bell portion for pressurizing said liquid lubricant, fluid seal means between all interconnecting plates and said rotor shafts, and drive means connected to a shaft of said rotor, said means imparting rotation to said rotor in said housing through said shaft.

6. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof comprising a gravity feed hopper, said hopper having a valve shaft and valve means operatively connected to said shaft, a fluid sealed housing with a top and a bottom opening, said housing having scaled bell portions at each end, a rotor formed with a plurality of annular chambers, said rotor having end plates on each end formed with a plurality of air inlet openings adjacent each rotor chamber, said chambers being filled with material from the hopper through said top housing opening, a thrust plate sealed against the exterior surface of each rotor end plate, each of said thrust plates having an opening adjacent the peripheral bottom edge thereof, a pneumatic pipe end threaded into said thrust plate openings, said pipe end being in open alignment successively with an adjacent opening in an end plate of the rotor as said rotor is revolved, to thereby pressurize each successive rotor chamber when positioned over the bottom housing opening, an end cover plate sealed to said bell portion of the housing, rotor drive shafts extending through said bell portions at each end of the housing, said respective shafts being journalled in sealed bearings, said bell portions each being filled with liquid lubricant, branch air lines feeding into each bell portion for pressurizing said liquid lubricant, fluid seal means between all interconnecting plates and said rotor shafts, and drive means connected to a shaft of said rotor, said means imparting rotation to said rotor in said housing through said shaft, said power drive means being a chain and sprocket drive, said drive comprising a drive sprocket and a plurality of triangularly spaced idler sprockets, said sprocket chain being looped around said idler sprockets and passing over said drive sprocket, one of said sprockets being keyed to the said valve shaft of said feed hopper to control the opening of said hopper valve means.

7. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof, as described in claim 6, wherein at least one of said idler sprockets is adjustable ltfiofension said sprocket chain of the chain and sprocket rive.

8. A machine for continuous feeding of material and pneumatic conveyance thereof, as described in claim 6,

wherein said top opening of the said housing is defined by beveled edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,279,804 Welcker Sept. 24, 1918 1,321,262. Townsend Nov. 11, 1919 72,099,315 Prochazka Nov. 16, 1937 2,750,233 Yellott June 12, 1956 2,858,212 Durant Oct. 28, 1958 2,890,914 Atkinson June 16, 1959 3,076,580 Heath Feb. 5, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 735,157 Great Britain Aug. 17, 1955 

1. A MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUS FEEDING OF MATERIAL AND PNEUMATIC CONVEYANCE THEREOF COMPRISING A GRAVITY FEED HOPPER, A FLUID SEALED HOUSING WITH A TOP AND A BOTTOM OPENING, SAID HOUSING HAVING SEALED BELL PORTIONS AT EACH END, A ROTOR FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR CHAMBERS, SAID ROTOR HAVING END PLATES ON EACH END FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF AIR INLET OPENINGS ADJACENT EACH ROTOR CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBERS BEING FILLED WITH MATERIAL FROM THE HOPPER THROUGH SAID TOP HOUSING OPENING, A THRUST PLATE SEALED AGAINST THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF EACH ROTOR END PLATE, EACH OF SAID THRUST PLATES HAVING AN OPENING ADJACENT THE PERIPHERAL BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF, A PNEUMATIC PIPE END THREADED INTO SAID THRUST PLATE OPENING, SAID PIPE END BEING IN OPEN ALIGNMENT SUCCESSIVELY WITH AN ADJACENT OPENING IN AN END PLATE OF THE ROTOR AS SAID ROTOR IS REVOLVED, TO THEREBY PRESSURIZE EACH SUCCESSIVE ROTOR CHAMBER WHEN POSITIONED OVER THE BOTTOM HOUSING OPENING, AND END COVER PLATE SEALED TO SAID BELL PORTION OF THE HOUSING, ROTOR DRIVE SHAFTS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BELL PORTIONS AT EACH END OF THE HOUSING, SAID RESPECTIVE SHAFTS BEING JOURNALLED IN SEALED BEARINGS, SAID BELL PORTIONS EACH BEING FILLED WITH LIQUID LUBRICANT, BRANCH AIR LINES FEEDING INTO EACH BELL PORTION FOR PRESSURIZING SAID LIQUID LUBRICANT, AND FLUID SEAL MEANS BETWEEN ALL INTERCONNECTING PLATES AND SAID ROTOR SHAFTS. 